Liverpool’s Sevilla Defeat Leaves Jurgen Klopp in No Doubt Where Changes Needed

ST. JAKOB-PARK, Basel, Switzerland — Liverpool arrived in Switzerland looking to turn a rollercoaster of a season into one that ended with a European trophy and a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League.

They depart after suffering their second defeat in a final and with no European football next season, having lost 3-1 to Sevilla in Basel in the UEFA Europa League final.

Jurgen Klopp’s side were ahead at the interval courtesy of Daniel Sturridge’s beautiful outside-of-the-boot finish after 35 minutes. But an equalising goal from the Spaniards just 18 seconds into the second half saw Liverpool fail to recover, and Sevilla took advantage and full control of the match.

Kevin Gameiro was the man to profit, tapping in Mariano Ferreira’s cross after some woeful defending from former Sevilla left-back Alberto Moreno.

Liverpool, who had been denied at least one clear penalty in the first half, looked shellshocked and spent most of the second half on the back foot, unable to muster yet another come back.

Indeed, 35-year-old Kolo Toure, likely playing his final game for the Reds, was comfortably the Reds’ best performer as he attempted to stop the tide.

Toure could do nothing about Sevilla’s second goal, when left-winger Coke finished a lovely passing move from the Spaniards that saw them cut Liverpool apart in the middle and finish past Reds goalkeeper Simon Mignolet into the bottom corner.

Coke then added a third, which was finally awarded after the linesman appeared to have flagged for offside initially.

That decision went Sevilla’s way, as did several others on the night, with Liverpool having three handball penalty calls and Dejan Lovren’s headed goal in the first half ruled out despite replays showing Sturridge was actually onside initially.

Post-match, Klopp refused to labour the decisions that went against his …

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